gravel driveway of our Hamptons estate, a

nen and a smug smile, a boy trai

was

alled hi

y a perfect copy of his mother Victoria

than said, his voice dripping wit

an, ignoring the sm

sion in white, her smi

he woodworker, the

other' s silent approval,

han taunted, poking Noah' s

ng, his eyes wide and scared

Victoria' s lips twitc

ard. "Ethan, t

. Ethan scowled at me, then

ere inside, Victoria cornered m

lculating, held a flicker of some

her voice soft, a tone she

ng I have to tel

t Noah was the result of a drunken mis

orgiveness, tears w

uised by years of su

my family, or

the words tasting like ash. I wante

peace settled,

y, the peac

the outdoor grill, a game

him, a small,

m, high-pitched

ra

ah' s clothes, his

s hand, his face a mask of shock

d given him the lighter fluid, t

my hands burning, and s

d, blistered. H

, my old smokejumper instincts kicking in,

oah was stabilized

d in my hands, the smell of

was sligh

toria and Julian. L

toria said, her voice cold, devoid of the emotion she' d s

ran cold.

laced with contempt. "The medication worked p

They had s

son, wasn't my son. Noah,

ical. "Ethan is the sole heir. We' ll just say his system couldn't ha

y were going

g lurch. My past, my marriag

ought was real

clarity, that Noah, the frail, abus

loved and raised, was the